


The Riddler - Reformed

by Nathaniel_Quietly



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman (Movies 1989-1997), Batman - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 17:04:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16391687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nathaniel_Quietly/pseuds/Nathaniel_Quietly
Summary: So for those who havent heard, October is here and we at DC Animated Adventures are teaming up with Nazario Designs to giveaway the complete Batman: The Animated Series on DVD! Chris will draw a villain a day and you just write a short 400-500 word story about that character and you're entered! That simple!Lance and I decided that we wanted to play along as well, even though we're not qualified to win (as we are putting on the contest). Here's my entry for today: *extreme Jim Carrey voice* The Riddler! (Check outThe DCAA Facebookfor more information.)





	The Riddler - Reformed

Edward Nigma was bored.

This was the third murder that week he had been called to consult on, and once again, the GCPD had missed the most glaringly obvious clues. 

“Whatcha got, Sherlock?” the portly lead detective, Bullock, snorted. He was chewing a toothpick, a habit he’d clearly picked up as a way to stop grinding his teeth - the wear on Bullock’s molars gave that away, even at the distance required to avoid his breath. He liked to needle Nigma by referencing a series of stories he had, of course, never read, and most likely only seen the most recent of film adaptations. Nigma chose to ignore the dig.

“Well,” he said instead, speaking in a slow, confident voice so the near-neanderthal in charge of the investigation could follow, “the the angle of the stab wounds on the victim indicates a left-handed attacker. Their clumping suggests our quarry is just under six feet - five-foot-ten and three quarters, unless I miss my guess - and the depth and width suggest a muscular frame, most likely male, most likely a sporty type. Football or basketball, something where one arm gets considerably more exercise than the other. Tennis possibly, though I doubt it.

“In addition, the room has been ransacked to put on the appearance of attempted robbery, but nothing of any real value was taken. Well, almost nothing. This was a crime of passion.”

“Yeah, we already got the boyfriend in custody,” Bullock growled. “He’s shorter than your little prediction though. S’amatter, your crystal ball need polishing?”

Nigma ran his tongue over his front teeth before replying. “Take a look at the victim’s left hand, Detective,” he said, salting the last word like a steak. “Specifically the ring finger. There’s a slight indentation there, but no tan line. Which tells me she became engaged recently, and is still getting used to the ring.”

Bullock was leaning down, sucking in a heavy breath as his knees popped. “So where did the ring go?” he asked. The condescension was gone from his tone. Nigma had caught something he hadn't. 

“I said before, almost nothing of value was taken,” Nigma continued. “I would guess that our murderer took it after he murdered his newly ex-lover in a jealous rage, after she told him she was ending their relationship in favor of her more honest one.”

“Wait,” Bullock said, glancing up from his crouched position, “you sayin’ she was having an affair?”

“And that the man she was cheating with did not take kindly to being brushed off, yes,” Nigma finished. “The staged burglary left all the pictures unaffected accept,“ he she pointed to the dresser, “ that one. It shows our victim and her fiance together, and has been thoroughly smashed.”

Bullock stood, pushing his stereotypical fedora up his head as he rubbed his temples. “I’ll be dipped,” he sighed. He called out, “Manfredi, get Montoya on the line. She’s with the boyfriend at the station, see if we can get some info on any sporty-type friends of the vic’s.”

It took a few hours and some questions in the right places, but a starting forward for the Gotham Guardsman was soon arrested on suspicion of first degree murder. Nigma chided himself for his ridiculous oversight in the case: the suspect was five-foot-ten and five eighths. 

Perhaps his reform was, in fact, dulling his skills.


End file.
